Messi has requested a transfer

[Presti35]

How crap if he goes to Man C! The guy is a billionaire. He'll never have to worry about money for the rest of his life. Surly there is more to it than money?

Go somewhere that deserves you, not somewhere that buys you.

[K]

But which other clubs can afford even a fraction of the transfer price?

[Pies4shaw]

And thus the soap opera that is Lionel Messi comes to an abrupt halt (however temporarily): https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-05/lionel-messi-will-stay-at-barcelona/12632772

I assume Ronald Koeman sorted him right out.

[Jezza]

^ I doubt Koeman has done anything.

Good article from the Guardian explaining why the relationship between Messi and Barcelona will never be the same again.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/sep/04/for-lionel-messi-and-barcelona-things-will-never-be-the-same-again

[Pies4shaw]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqtlj6yyD4E

Barca - and its supporters - will never forget their first.

I remember watching a game at the Nou Camp between Barcelona and Manchester United in the early 90s, at the start of which the British commentator welcomed us all "here to the Nou Camp, with its very own museum, its very own chapel and its very own Ronald Koeman".

Messi will likely fall in line. Whatever he feels about what's come before, he's probably not, at this late stage, sufficiently soft to take his money and sit in the stands. He won't want to tarnish his legacy, since it is so inextricably tied to Barcelona. He can fight all he likes with the club's president - fighting with Ronald has a whole different, undesirable dimension to it for Barca people.

[K]

A year on, Messi is leaving Barca.

They say both sides had agreed to terms, but financial issues changed everything.

[Jezza]

^ Barca are struggling financially, so it doesn't surprise me they couldn't retain him on the wages he was on.

Don't know anything concrete, but I'm predicting PSG secure him or he'll reunite with Pep at Manchester City.

[Jezza]

He's joined PSG.